Newspaper Staff Application
De La Salle North Catholic High School Knight Line
Name ______Current Grade Level (Circle one) 8 9 10 11
Address______ Telephone Number_______
Email______
Have you ever been on a newspaper or yearbook staff before? If so, tell where and what position you held______
BEFORE FILLING OUT THIS APPLICATION, PLEASE REVIEW THE STAFF QUALIFICATION RUBRIC. Please read all directions carefully and complete all sections of the application thoroughly. In addition to this application form, I require at least one teacher letter of recommendation, but two would be encouraged.
As a newspaper staff member, you will:
A. Work as a team to complete various sections of the online newspaper.
B. Write articles/captions and/or take photos for the newspaper; meet with advisers, administrators, students, and/or coaches to get background information or interviews.
C. Work with community leaders and parents to get quality quotes and information for the online paper.
D. Meet deadlines and be responsible for completing your pages, editing, etc.
E. Come to class on time and prepared to work. Because it is a class, it takes precedence over extracurricular activities!
1. What newspaper position (s) are you interested in?
q Beat Writer (write stories and/or captions, take pictures, meet deadlines, work with specific groups on campus)
q Staff Photographer (take quality pics. outside of class time, assist Photo Editor in organizing and editing pictures, work with team members in designing pages that will be used in the book, use digital cameras, and meet deadlines)
2. Writing Ability/English Skills/Grades
Current English Teacher and Name of Class______Current English Average ______
3. Computer Knowledge
• Have you ever taken art, desktop publishing, or a web page design class? If yes, tell which one.
• On a scale of 1-10 indicate your proficiency with the following programs/abilities, with 1 being no experience and 10 being excellent.
♦ Microsoft Word 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♦ Microsoft PowerPoint
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♦ Adobe InDesign or similar program
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♦ Adobe Photoshop
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♦ Microsoft Publisher or iWork (Mac) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♦ Other photo editing software
(List type)______1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. Photography Experience
• Do you have a digital camera that you are able to use every day?
• If yes, what kind is it (make/model), and how many megapixels does it have?
• Have you ever created scrapbooks?
• Have you ever taken a photography class?
• Do you take a lot of pictures of your friends and family?
5. Availability & Miscellaneous
• Are you willing to come in occasionally during lunch or after school to meet deadlines?
• Are you willing to accept a leadership role involving more responsibility and commitment?
• Are you capable of having fun and getting work done – at the same time?
• Some of the duties of the staff include working with editors and the advisor on story ideas, talking to teachers/coaches, and asking questions/interviewing. This requires being somewhat comfortable talking to people you do not know. Will you be able to perform these duties?
• I will be running grade and attendance checks for editors: Are you willing to commit to a high standard of academic excellence as well as maintain appropriate dress code and attendance mandates?
6. With 1 being the least appealing and 5 being the most appealing, rank your interest/abilities in the following jobs:
• Talking to friends 1 2 3 4 5 Creating Layouts 1 2 3 4 5
• Photo Editing 1 2 3 4 5 Photography 1 2 3 4 5
• Attending School Events 1 2 3 4 5 Selling ads/Fund raising 1 2 3 4 5
• Supervising/teaching others 1 2 3 4 5 Interviewing people 1 2 3 4 5
• Designing artwork/drawing 1 2 3 4 5 Proofreading 1 2 3 4 5
Newspaper Staff Position Recommendation Form
Student’s name: ______Teacher’s name: ______
School:______When did you have the applicant as a student? ______
In which class: ______
Students who are a Level 4 are potential editors, Level 3 are generally good staffers. Students who fall into Level 2 must go through an interview process with the advisor and should be considered carefully before recommending. Please do not recommend students in the Level 1 category.
Criteria
/ Level 4 / Level 3 / Level 2 / Level 1I. Work Habits / -completes homework
-high level of motivation and positive attitude toward learning
-highly confident during class activities.
-can work independently and seeks help without pause. / -generally completes homework
-good level of motivation and positive attitude toward learning
-confident during class activities. / -frequent incomplete homework
-low level of motivation and a lack of positive attitude toward learning
-lacks confidence during class activities. / -does not complete homework
-no motivation and poor attitude toward learning
-little or no confidence during class activities.
II. Initiative / -independently plans and begins new tasks or challenges
-consistently extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented. / -generally attempts new activities.
-often extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented. / -infrequently independently plans and begins new tasks or challenges
-extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented after encouragement. / -never tries new tasks or challenges
-rarely extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented.
III. Independence / -consistently persists with challenging tasks.
-is highly effective in following instructions and completes an assigned task with minimal assistance or supervision. / -generally persists with challenging tasks.
-proceeds with instructions and completes an assigned task with little assistance or supervision. / -sometimes consistently persists with challenging tasks.
-needs help getting started when assigned task with periodic assistance or supervision. / -redirected to work on tasks by advisors or editors.
-rarely begins an assigned task, does not follow directions or instructions.
IV. Teamwork / -actively listens to others.
-consistently and confidently assumes a leadership role in a variety of class situations.
-works with a variety of others, acknowledging contributions made of all members. / -listens attentively to others.
-takes on a leadership role in a variety of class situations.
-works with others, acknowledging contributions made by other members. / -occasionally listens to others.
-sometimes assumes a leadership role.
-works with others, acknowledging contributions by members. / -rarely pays attention to others.
-works with others when encouraged or instructed.
Based on the rubric, please provide a score and, if possible, an explanation for the score.
Criteria / Your Score / Explanation for scoreWork Habits
Initiative
Independence
Teamwork
It is vitally important that our staffers be competent copy editors and writers, regardless of the section that they are in. Please describe this applicant’s strengths and weaknesses in grammar and writing.
______
______
Please use the space below to comment on any unique or otherwise noteworthy attributes of the student in question. Be sure to sign and place the recommendation in my mailbox/school mail on or before ______
______
______
Teacher’s Signature & Date______
Newspaper Staff Position Recommendation Form
Student’s name: ______Teacher’s name: ______
School:______When did you have the applicant as a student? ______
In which class: ______
Students who are a Level 4 are potential editors, Level 3 are generally good staffers. Students who fall into Level 2 must go through an interview process with the advisor and should be considered carefully before recommending. Please do not recommend students in the Level 1 category.
Criteria
/ Level 4 / Level 3 / Level 2 / Level 1I. Work Habits / -completes homework
-high level of motivation and positive attitude toward learning
-highly confident during class activities.
-can work independently and seeks help without pause. / -generally completes homework
-good level of motivation and positive attitude toward learning
-confident during class activities. / -frequent incomplete homework
-low level of motivation and a lack of positive attitude toward learning
-lacks confidence during class activities. / -does not complete homework
-no motivation and poor attitude toward learning
-little or no confidence during class activities.
II. Initiative / -independently plans and begins new tasks or challenges
-consistently extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented. / -generally attempts new activities.
-often extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented. / -infrequently independently plans and begins new tasks or challenges
-extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented after encouragement. / -never tries new tasks or challenges
-rarely extends thinking beyond ideas/procedures presented.
III. Independence / -consistently persists with challenging tasks.
-is highly effective in following instructions and completes an assigned task with minimal assistance or supervision. / -generally persists with challenging tasks.
-proceeds with instructions and completes an assigned task with little assistance or supervision. / -sometimes consistently persists with challenging tasks.
-needs help getting started when assigned task with periodic assistance or supervision. / -redirected to work on tasks by advisors or editors.
-rarely begins an assigned task, does not follow directions or instructions.
IV. Teamwork / -actively listens to others.
-consistently and confidently assumes a leadership role in a variety of class situations.
-works with a variety of others, acknowledging contributions made of all members. / -listens attentively to others.
-takes on a leadership role in a variety of class situations.
-works with others, acknowledging contributions made by other members. / -occasionally listens to others.
-sometimes assumes a leadership role.
-works with others, acknowledging contributions by members. / -rarely pays attention to others.
-works with others when encouraged or instructed.
Based on the rubric, please provide a score and, if possible, an explanation for the score.
Criteria / Your Score / Explanation for scoreWork Habits
Initiative
Independence
Teamwork
It is vitally important that our staffers be competent copy editors and writers, regardless of the section that they are in. Please describe this applicant’s strengths and weaknesses in grammar and writing.
______
______
Please use the space below to comment on any unique or otherwise noteworthy attributes of the student in question. Be sure to sign and place the recommendation in my mailbox/school mail on or before ______
______
______
Teacher’s Signature & Date______